Johns of Instow

About

An award-winning family business comprising a delicatessen, café and grocers in the two lovely villages of Instow and Appledore, known for the very best local and homemade produce.

Johns of Instow has been trading for more than 90 years, having been opened as a traditional grocery in 1926 by current owner Anthony’s great-grandmother, Queenie. Today it is a welcoming, vibrant delicatessen and café that still supplies the best local and homemade produce to the seaside village and its visitors from far and wide, as well as catering for events and special occasions. Johns of Appledore opened in 2008, providing the village on the opposite river bank, famed for its heritage fishing and arts, with the same quality and warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes both Johns deli, café and catering such unique destinations in North Devon.

Everything available at Johns is made in their own kitchens, or sourced from one of the 150 suppliers they support by showcasing local and artisan produce. The delis resemble a good old-fashioned larder, lined with shelves that are stocked with delicious pies, quiches, award-winning charcuterie, smoked fish, bread baked that day, marinated olives and much more.

The inviting aroma of all the wonderful freshly made food permeates the building, making it difficult to resist dropping by the café for a bite to eat! There are plenty of sweet and savoury options to suit all dietary requirements, allowing everyone to sample a true taste of the West Country – and why not accompany your chocolate brownie or jumbo sausage roll (firm favourites) with a drink from the wine, local ale and cider menu?

Anthony and Sue are the fourth generation to run the family business, and both dedicated foodies themselves (a cheese-lover and a vegetarian respectively!) who love to be the first in North Devon to offer an exciting new product or concept at Johns. It isn’t simply a matter of buying and selling either, because they see themselves as ambassadors who can and should shout about the incredible culinary delights which North Devon has in abundance.

Their commitment to every aspect of Johns has been rewarded with great successes over the years, including national recognition as UK Retailer of the Year at the 2015 Farm Shop and Deli Awards. Creating a sense of community and a lovely atmosphere in both locations is equally as important to the team as offering the tastiest food and drink, and the vibrant feel and seaside colours at Johns of Instow and Johns of Appledore perfectly reflect the wonderful variety and quality of the local food and drink and its producers.

One visit to the Deli and it's easy to see why Johns is firmly established on the local foodie map as an award winning destination. Our delis are full of local cheeses from the region, UK and rest of the world. We have award winning charcuterie, pies and smoked fish, our own homemade quiches, pâtés, cakes, desserts, freshly baked bread and marinated olives. We provide catering for business lunches, events, parties and other occasions where you want quality local food and drink. Everything is freshly prepared from the fantastic foods in our deli and presented on platters ready for your event.

Or visit one of our cafes and savour the flavours of West Country food & drink. We aim to provide you with the best quality produce and each dish is either homemade in our deli kitchens or by local/regional producers sharing our passion for tasty food and drink. We offer vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free and vegan options and change our menus according to the seasons. We are also fully licensed so you can sample the best local ales, ciders & wines. Find us on Appledore Quay with great views from our indoor & outdoor seating, or along Marine Parade in Instow.

Johns are also available for Catering Events. With such a wide range of local food goodies, we are able to put on a spread for every occasion: Corporate Events, Exclusive Parties, Weddings – you name it, we are sure we can put on something different & delicious just for you.

To discuss any catering you would like us to do – give us a call on (01271) 860310